The astrology of pushing boundaries

On the morning of December 17, 1903, which was shaping up to be a windy day, two brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, set out to the sandy dunes of Kitty Hawk beach in North Carolina to fly a powered airplaine they had designed and built. They took turns and flew the plane four times, with the last flight taking off at noon. While the last flight covered just 852 feet and lasted less than one minute, it put their names firmly in the history books and ushered in the age of powered aviation in the USA. Such a historic event is clearly seen in the transit and period dynamics of the SAMVA USA chart (Perpetual Union)

The four flights
"The first flight, by Orville, of 120 feet (36.5 m) in 12 seconds, at a speed of only 6.8 mph over the ground, was recorded in a famous photograph. This flight took place at 10:32 am. The next two flights covered approximately 175 and 200 feet (60 m), by Wilbur and Orville respectively. Their altitude was about 10 ft above the ground. In Orvilles diary the following entry is found: "Wilbur started the fourth and last flight at just about 12 o'clock. The first few hundred feet were up and down, as before, but by the time three hundred feet had been covered, the machine was under much better control. The course for the next four or five hundred feet had but little undulation. However, when out about eight hundred feet the machine began pitching again, and, in one of its darts downward, struck the ground. The distance over the ground was measured to be 852 feet (260 m); the time of the flight was 59 seconds." At the end of these four flights, the possiblity of manned flight based on aviation technology and engine power had been realised.

The astrology of pushing boundaries
As has been mentioned concerning the SAMVA USA chart (Perpetual Union) there are several attributes which explain the American risk taking attitude, to ceaslessly strive to push the boundaries of what is possible. First, we can note the strong placement of 10th lord MARS in the sign of Scorpio in the chart. Mars when strong and well placed gives courage, enterprise and technical know-how. The creation of the term Yankee know-how is no accident. When Mars is well aspected its qualities are further enhanced. In the chart 1st lord MOON is exalted in the sign of Taurus from where it closely aspects Mars. The mutal aspect between Mars and Moon as 1st and 10th lords gives fame due to courageous and high minded acts - first exhibited in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1781) which brought Americans fame and admiration as it was based on advanced ideals as embodied in documents of the war, including the Declaration of Independence. A second feature of the chart is the placement of MERCURY as 3rd lord of enterprise and courage in Capricorn and the 7th house. This placement is good for initiative, business enterprise and courage in relation to leisure activities and foreign travel. Americans love to travel for leisure. Mercury is also an indicator of analysis and technology. A third attribute in this regard is the aspect of 8th lord SATURN to natal 2nd lord SUN. This aspect creates a tendency to try to acquire name and fame (or status) with risk taking, even to the point of risking death. The history of the US Space Program is a study in death defying activities of highly skilled pilots and astronauts. There is no doubt about the admiration of the rest of the world for the achievements of the Americans in the air or space , including Lindbergh's crossing of the Atlantic on May 21, 1927 or the first landing on the Moon in July 20, 1969.

The astrology of the first manned flight
At noon time on December 17, 1903, the Moon major period and Rahu sub-period were operating in the SAMVA USA chart.

The Moon is a strong planet in the chart and represents the self of Americans. As it is the lord of the chart, owning the sign Cancer which is in the first house, the Moon embodies who American's are and what their personality is like. Among their many good atributes, Cancerians are generally senstitive to their own and others welfare. As the Moon is placed in the 11th house of the chart, the self-expression of Americans finds an outlet in their hopes, plans, ideals and dreams. As the Moon is exalted it also gives them a good income. The Rahu on the other hand is a functional malefic and is afflicting the most effective point of the 10th house in the chart. This planet indicates manipulation and achieving things with underhanded means, for selfish ends.

Natal 3rd lord MERCURY is well placed at 12° 05' Capricorn/H7. It is the indicator of transportation and technology and fairly strong in the chart, albeit slightly combust the Sun. It is well placed in the 7th house of leisure activities and short trips.

On this morning, natal Mercury was highly aspected:
- transit sub-period lord RAHU at 10° 41' Virgo and in the 3rd house, the house of transport, was closely aspecting Mercury.
- transit 10th lord MARS was exalted at 11° 37' Capricorn was conjunct Mercury, adding industry and bravery to an event to do with transport and technology.
- transit 8th lord SATURN at 13° 59' Capricorn was conjunct Mercury, showing that the enterprise involved some danger.

To this we can add that transit 3rd lord MERCURY at 16° 18' Sagittarius/H6 was under close aspect of natal Rahu at 17° 47' Aries/H10. This is an interesting combination as Rahu and Mercury are connecting at both the natal and transit level. As if that wasn't enough, transit Rahu was also aspecting transit Mars. The flights took place with a lot of wind on the sandy dunes of the Kitty Hawk beach in North Carolina. Maybe the part about the flights being powered was oversold!? Certainly, there was an element of gliding involved, given that there was considerable wind. Moreover, the photo here shows how the plane was launched off a high embankment.

In addtion to this we can note that transit 1st lord MOON was at 18° 26' Scorpio/H5 at the conclusion of the four successful flights. While debilitated, the Moon aspected the 11th house of hopes and plans. This was a dream come true for Americans, to have finally conquered the air with a powered airplane. The possibilities must have seemed endless. As if that were not enough, transit 4th lord VENUS at 16° 22' Libra/H4 was exalted and well placed in its own sign/house, signalling a sense of satisfaction with the accomplishment. However, curiously, Venus was also conjunct natal KETU at 17° 47' Libra at this time. Ketu indicates separations, otherworldly things or sudden explosive events. The energy of Ketu was also felt on this day as transit KETU at 10° 41' Pisces/H9 was aspecting natal 10th lord MARS at 10° 05' Scorpio/H5. There may have been a sense of a startling achievement with this energy, which would be consistent with American's taking their first step to break the bonds of gravity.

Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orville_Wright

The astrology of exteme weather in the US

The 1930s was one of the most difficult periods in the history of the United States, when an economic depression ravaged the livelihood of most Americans. While the depression was caused by an implosion of the financial system, it was made much more difficult due to extremes in weather. At the depths of the depression, from 1931 to 1936, droughts caused widespread destruction of agricultural lands, resulting in mass migrations of people to other areas of the country. This was followed by the most extreme heat wave to strike the country in modern history in 1936, which resulted in over 5,000 deaths, making it the deadliest natural disaster in the countries history. These developments are seen clearly in the 20° Cancer rising SAMVA USA chart, which is based on the event when the Union of the American states was given birth on February 2, 1781.

The astrology of extreme weather
In astrology, the SUN and MARS are considered hot planets. Both planets are strong and well placed in the chart. As 2nd lord of wealth and status, the Sun is at 23° 44' Capricorn and the 7th house. This placement gives the USA its authority and prominence in the world. As 10th lord of the executive, Mars is strong in its own sign at 10° 05' Scorpio and well placed in the 5th house. Hence, the heat is not seen to be a problem based on their indications. The MOON is the source of nutrition and is linked to water and agriculture. As 1st lord of self, the Moon is exalted and strong at 7° 23' Taurus and is well placed in the 11th house. Moreover, the aspect between Mars and Moon would suggest significant benefits for the country. In astrology, however, it is VENUS that is the ruler of comforts, including the weather. In the SAMVA USA chart, as Venus is 4th lord it also rules natural resources, including agriculture. At 23° 50' Sagittarius it is badly placed in the 6th house of opposition and problems, indicating setbacks for its indications. However, the real source of difficulty is traced to the Moon's south node, KETU, which is the indicator of extemes in heat as well as ruler of sudden and explosive events. Ketu is placed at 17° 47' Libra in the most effective point of the 4th house. This placement is the real source of difficulty with regard to heat, earthquakes, violent events and setbacks in agriculture in the history of the USA. Whenever a first rate malefic is placed in the sensitive angles of the chart it can create many problems. In this case, we should also note that Ketu afflicts the 8th house of obstacles and endings and the 12th house of losses. Clearly, given the weakness of Venus in the chart, the placement of Ketu makes it the most difficult planet in the chart.

The Dust Bowl of the Great Plains

"The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936 (in some areas until 1940), caused by severe drought coupled with decades of extensive farming without crop rotation or other techniques to prevent erosion. It was largely a man-made disaster caused by an abnormally severe drought combined with the deep plowing of the virgin topsoil of the Great Plains, which killed the natural grasses. Such grasses normally kept the soil in place and moisture trapped, even during periods of drought and high winds. During the drought of the 1930s, with the grasses destroyed, the soil dried, turned to dust, and blew away eastwards and southwards in large dark clouds. At times the clouds blackened the sky, reaching all the way to East Coast cities such as New York and Washington, D.C. Much of the soil ended up deposited in the Atlantic Ocean. The Dust Bowl affected 100 million acres (400 thousand km2), centered on the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma, and adjacent parts of New Mexico, Colorado, and Kansas. The Dust Bowl ruined the livelihood of millions relying on farming and causing mass migrations. The peak of the dust storms took place from late 1933 and continued into the Spring of 1935.

Peak of the dust storms

"On November 11, 1933, a very strong dust storm stripped topsoil from desiccated South Dakota farmlands in just one of a series of bad dust storms that year. Then, beginning on May 9, 1934, a strong two-day dust storm removed massive amounts of Great Plains topsoil in one of the worst such storms of the Dust Bowl. The dust clouds blew all the way to Chicago where dirt fell like snow. Two days later, the same storm reached cities in the east, such as Buffalo, Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C. That winter, red snow fell on New England. On April 14, 1935, known as "Black Sunday", twenty of the worst "Black Blizzards" occurred throughout the Dust Bowl, causing extensive damage and turning the day to night. Witnesses reported that they could not see five feet in front of them at certain points. The dust storms were so bad that often roosters thought that it was night instead of day and went to sleep during them."

The Astrology of the Great Depression

The Rahu major period and Rahu minor period began in April 19, 1919. Some historians consider this year the birth of Modern Times. During this year, Einstein´s Theory of Relativity, which added phenomenal new insights into the laws of nature, was confirmed with scientific experiments. As RAHU is the indicator of materialism, illusion and greed, it should come as no surprise that Einstein's major scientific advance was for many a symbol or demonstration of the superiority of man's intellect over ancient "superstitions" like faith. Rahu also heralded a new era of acquisitive greed, later termed the Roaring Twenties, when booming share prices and the creation of enourmous new paper wealth pushed conspicous consumption of the wealthy to a new level in the USA.

In this SAMVA USA chart, Rahu is placed at 17° 47' Aries in the 10th house. As such it is well placed, but it afflicts the 10th house, 2nd house and the 6th house. However, due to the strength of the 10th lord MARS, 6th lord JUPITER and 2nd lord SUN in the SAMVA USA chart, the damage it inflicts on these houses is less. However, being placed prominently in the angles, it makes materialistic greed pronounced in the national affairs during its periods. Importantly, along with Ketu, Rahu also afflicts the 4th house. During transit afflictions, Rahu can also result in setbacks associated with the indications it touches. Following the first part of its major period, the Roaring Twenties, when a lot of prosperity was created with rising asset values and general materialistic glee, the second part was associated with the destruction of this wealth and tremendous misery. The bubble burst in late October 1929, just after the Ketu sub-period had begun. At a time, when transit Rahu was afflicting natal Rahu and the 10th house MEP and transit Ketu was afflicting natal Ketu and the 4th house MEP. Like an explosion, suddenly the greateast depression in the history of the USA descended on the nation, involving the most massive destruction of paper and real wealth in the history of the country. The situation was made far worse by a crisis in agriculture, housing market and communal harmony, all indications of the 4th house. It is the crisis in agriculture we consider here.

The Astrology of the Agricultural Crisis
Between 1930 and 1933, the US economy went into the tank. Output contracted by almost one third and the unemployed increased to affect almost a quarter of the workforce. This development is also explained by the greatest drought to hit the USA. While the crisis hit during the sub-period of the great functional malefic Ketu, its depths were felt during the sub-period of Venus in the chart, which lasted from November 6, 1930 to November 6, 1933. During this time, the Dust Bowl developed in earnest, but it peaked during the sub-period of the Sun lasting to October 1, 1934 and during the Moon sub-period lasting until April 1, 1936. This is explained by transits in the chart. During the sub-periods of the strong and well placed Sun and Moon, the economy began to grow again from 1934 to 1937, associated with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt´s initiative to revieve the economy from 1933 to 1936 with the New Deal.

It is the transits behind the drought we look at next in the SAMVA USA chart. In late 1930, transit 6th lord Jupiter was around 23° to 27° Gemini from where it afflicted the sub-period lord Venus. From September 1930 to May 1931, transit 8th lord Saturn was moving through 20° to 27° Sagittarius and 6th house, in mutual opposition with transit Jupiter and also conjunct the natal Venus. Adding to the strain in early 1931, transit 6th lord Jupiter became stationary at 18° Gemini in the 12th house from where it fell into a mutual aspect with natal Ketu in the MEP of the 4th house. At the same time, transit Ketu became stationary at 21° Virgo in the MEP of the 3th house from where it afflicted the 11th house, which hosts the Moon, while transit Rahu afflicted the MEP of the 1st house - owned by the Moon. From August to October 1931, transit Saturn became stationary at 24° Sagittarius, on top of the natal Venus. Such massive afflictions involving natal 4th lord Venus, Ketu in the 4th house, as well as the Moon, are consistent with the outbreak of a drought in the USA.

Notable afflictions are also seen at the peak of the drought induced dust storms in late 1933 to early 1935. From early 1933 to early 1934, there were stationary afflictions of the 20° Cancer MEP in the 1st house, owned by the Moon. In early 1934, there were also transit to transit and natal to transit afflictions involving transit Rahu and transit 8th lord Saturn around 25° Capricorn. In late 1934 and into early 1935, transit Rahu went stationary at 8° 11' Capricorn, from where it exactly afflicted natal 1st lord Moon at 7° 23' Taurus and the 11th house.

The North American heat wave of 1936

The heat wave in the summer of 1936 was the most severe in the modern history of the United States. It took place in the middle of the Great Depression, and contributed to it. The heat led to catastrophic human suffering and resulted in over 5,000 heat related deaths, making it the deadliest natural disaster of the 20th century in the United States. The economic losses, notably in agriculture, were enormous as well, with crops being destroyed by the high heat and lack of moisture. Many of the state and city record high temperature set during the peak of the heat wave in July and August 1936 still stand to this day. The year 1936 brought significant amounts of extreme weather. The winter was one of the coldest on record, and the summer was one of the hottest.

Astrological explanation

Astrologically, Rahu-Mars period was operating in the SAMVA USA chart with transit 2nd lord Sun, transit 4th lord Venus and transit 10th lord Mars linked to this development. On June 19, 1936, a Total Solar eclipse took place as transit Sun, Venus and Mars were all in the early degrees of Gemini and 12th house while the Moon’s nodes were going stationary at 10° Sagittarius and Gemini. Some six days later, on 25th of June, transit Sun and transit Venus became exactly conjunct transit Ketu at 10° Gemini, with Mars at 6° Gemini. The conjunction of transit Sun and transit Venus, with transit Ketu, and with Mars close by, could be considered the start day of the heat wave. In ensuing weeks and months, as Venus and Mars remained combust by the Sun, the heat wave just got worse. This is explained by transit 8th lord Saturn at 29° Aquarius and 8th house was afflicting both natal Saturn at 27° Scorpio and transit 6th lord Jupiter at 24° Scorpio. Transit Jupiter was further afflicted by its conjunction with natal Saturn.

Sources

The Dust Bowl:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl

The 1936 North American Heat Wave:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936_North_American_heat_wave